Portable swing adaptor

Abstract

The Portable Swing Adaptor is a small device that is constructed of machine washable fabric and padding, the straps are made from durable nylon belting and the buckle and adjusting slides are plastic. The hooks that attach the swing adaptor to the swing are metal. This is a new idea because the toddler swings that are currently available to the public are bulky plastic equipment that are not portable and cannot be attached to playground equipment without tools.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to Class 472 Amusement Devices—Sub class: Swings, Class 297 Chairs & Seats. This product was invented for toddlers and small children, no more than 44 inches tall and no heavier than 45 pounds in weight. It was invented specifically as a portable device. Many playgrounds do not provide a toddler safe swing that would support the child from falling off either backwards or forwards, this invention is designed to allow parents or caregivers of toddlers the option of using a typical playground swing with extra support. Toddler swings are available to purchase but they are not portable, they are large and made from hard plastic, and they are not for installing on public playgrounds.

• • I, Jean Ann Mead, invented the Portable Swing Adaptor so that toddlers and small children can have extra support on a typical playground swing.

My invention is constructed of machine washable fabric, foam padding and nylon straps so it is soft and easy to clean.

It is small and portable-easily brought to parks and can fit in many diaper bags.

This device can be attached and removed in less than 3 minutes, so a busy child doesn't get bored waiting to swing and can easily move on to something else.

This product is inexpensive to manufacture, thus the retail cost would not be prohibitive for most families.

This is a new idea because the toddler swings that are currently available to the public are bulky plastic equipment that are not portable and cannot be attached to playground equipment without tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of the Portable Swing Adaptor in its usable form; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view of the Portable Swing Adaptor in its usable form

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 of the present invention. The Portable Swing Adaptor 10 comprises a back pad 12, a left support connection strap 13A and a right support connection strap 13B. Each strap has a metal hook clasp at each end 20 to connect to the swing chains, a waist belt left side 16A, a waist belt right side 16B connected in the front center of the Portable Swing Adaptor by a quick release plastic buckle 19, two shoulder straps comprising of an upper left side 14A, a lower left side 14B an upper right side 15A and lower right side 15B with sliding adjusters 18a, and a crotch strap 17. The waist strap 16A, 16B, crotch strap 17, shoulder straps 14A, B and 15A, B, and the back pad 12 are the main support of the present invention, while the left support connection strap 13A and right support connection strap 13B as well as the crotch strap 17, provide a means for securing the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 to a conventional swing with a sling seat.

In the preferred embodiment, the back pad 12 of the Portable Swing Adaptor is made of densified foam batting covered with a cotton broadcloth fabric for comfort, durability, and portability. The 1 inch wide nylon straps are stitched to the back pad to form the Portable Swing Adaptor, incorporating adjustable sliding clips, locking buckles, and locking hooks as needed. Nylon straps, adjustable sliding clips, locking buckles, and locking hooks are well known in the relevant art and are commercially available. It would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to manufacture a Portable Swing Adaptor 10 of the present invention using cloth covered densified foam batting with nylon straps and stitching them together or incorporating buckles and hooks as required.

The waist belt 16A, 16B of the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 is a 1 inch wide nylon strap, having a length that is long enough to fit around the waist of a child and the swing chains and a means of attaching and removing the waist belt from around the child's waist. In the preferred embodiment, the means for attaching and removing the waist belt 16A, 16B is a quick release plastic buckle wherein one end fits, or snaps, into a second end, thereby securing the waist belt 16A, 16B around the child's waist.

In the preferred embodiment, there are three (3) means by which the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 is secured to a conventional swing: a left support connection strap 13A and a right support connection strap 13B, The waist belt 16A, 16B, and the crotch strap 17. The crotch strap 17 is a strap that connects the front of the waist belt 16A, 16B to the back of the waist belt 16A, 16B by running under a swing seat, thereby allowing the child to stay in contact with the swing seat while swinging. The crotch strap 17 is stitched to the center of the back pad 12 and is connected to the front of the waist belt 16A, 16B by the free end of said crotch strap 17 which has a loop that the said waist belt 16A, 16B buckle passes through to connect the said crotch strap to said waist belt to form a “T” shape seatbelt. Coupling of said free end of said crotch strap to said waist belt is by slidable relationship allowing ease of connecting and disconnecting said waist belt and said crotch belt.

The Portable Swing Adaptor 10 of the present invention has a left support connection strap 13A and a right support connection strap 13B. Each support connection strap 13A, 13B is stitched to the back pad 12 of the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 such that a support connection strap 13A, 13B is located at each of the child's shoulders when the child is wearing the Portable Swing Adaptor 10. Each support connection strap 13A, 13B also incorporates a means for attaching the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 to a swing line. In the preferred embodiment, there is metal hook clasp 20 at the end of each support connection strap 13A, 13B that is used to connect the support connection strap 13A, 13B to the lines of the swing. Most conventional swing lines are chains; therefore, a metal hook clasp 20, fits through a link in the chain and locks so that the metal hook clasp 20 does not disengage from the swing line while the child is swinging.

In operation, a parent connects the left support connection strap 13A to a first swing line at a point above the child's shoulder. The parent then connects the right support connection strap 13B to a second swing line at a point above the child's shoulder.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is a waist belt 16A, 16B. The rear center of the waist belt 16A, 16B is stitched to the back pad 12 of the Portable Swing Adaptor 10.

Each side of the waist belt 16A, 16B also incorporates a means for attaching the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 to a swing line. In the preferred embodiment, each side of the waist belt 16A, 16B can pass through the large metal triangles attaching the swing to the swing line to connect the waist belt 16A, 16B to the lines of the swing.

In operation, a parent passes the right side of the waist belt 16B from the rear of the child through the metal triangle on the right side of the swing line. Then, a parent passes the left side of the waist belt 16A from the rear of the child through the metal triangle on the left side of the swing line and connects the two ends of the quick release plastic buckle in front of the child at said child's waist.

The support connection straps 13A, 13B use a metal hook clasp to connect to the swing line. A larger metal hook clasp than the one shown can be used for conventional swing lines that are not just chains, but are chains covered with a plastic sleeve or ropes.

The Portable Swing Adaptor 10 of the present invention is described in these terms for convenience purpose only. It would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to manufacture a comparable Portable Swing Adaptor 1O using different materials or buckles.

FIG. 2 illustrates the rear perspective view of the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 in its usable form of the present invention. The Portable Swing Adaptor 10 of the present invention works with sling seats.

In operation, a parent or guardian connects the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 by attaching the left support connection strap 13A to the left swing line and the right support connection strap 13B to the right swing line. The child is then placed on the swing seat. First, the upper shoulder straps 14A and 15A are put over the child's shoulders; the bottom part of the shoulder straps 14B and 15B are then connected to the upper part and adjusted accordingly 18A to the child's size.

Alternatively, the shoulder straps may stay connected for future use of the Portable Swing Adaptor, thus eliminating this one step.

Next, the left side of the waist belt 16A is passes through the left side of the large metal triangle that connects the swing seat to the chain, then the right side of the belt passes through the right side of the large metal triangle that connects the swing seat to the chain, the crotch strap 17 runs from the child's back to the child's front under the swing seat and up between the child's legs, the free end of said crotch strap has a loop that the said waist belt buckle passes through to connect the said crotch strap to said waist belt to form a “T” shape seatbelt. The waist belt 16A, 16B join in the front of the child's torso by a quickrelease plastic buckle. Said waist belt comprises a means for adjusting a length of said waist belt such that said waist belt fits through the swing chain and close around the child's waist, wherein said means for adjusting are adjustable sliding clips. The waist belt 16A, 16B, crotch strap 17 and shoulder straps 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B are adjusted such that the Portable Swing Adaptor 10 is snug on the child.

CONCLUSION

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claim. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined in accordance with the following claim and their equivalents.

Claims

1. Portable swing adaptor harness with back pad configured to adapt a playground swing into a toddler swing, the playground swing consisting of a belt seat hanging from a swing set structure by a pair of chains or ropes, the Portable Swing Adaptor is comprised of:

a soft fabric back pad, rectangular in shape, comprised of densified foam batting covered with a cotton broadcloth fabric that is machine washable and provides a comfortable means for the child to sit restrained from falling backward;

attached to said back pad is a support connection strap for connecting left side of said back pad to the left swing chain, said strap is connected to said back pad; and a support connection strap for connecting right side of said back pad to the right swing chain, said strap is connected to said back pad; connection to said pair of chains is to establish support and prevent a child from falling backward. Said attachment mechanism is comprised of a nylon strap sewed horizontally to the top rear of said back pad with a metal hook clasp on each right side and left side to attach said back pad along the length of said swing chains, thus permitting the portable swing adaptor to be attached to an appropriate chain link according to a toddler's physical size;

sewn to the lower rear of the above referenced back pad is a fully adjustable nylon waist belt for circumscribing the torso of the child, the right side of the belt passes through the right side of the large metal triangle that connects the swing seat to the chain, and the left side of the belt passes through the left side of the large metal triangle that connects the swing seat to the chain, they join in the front of the child's torso by a quickrelease plastic buckle. Said waist belt comprises a means for adjusting a length of said waist belt such that said waist belt fits through the swing chain and close around the child's waist, wherein said means for adjusting are adjustable sliding clips;

sewn vertically down the center rear of said back pad is a fully adjustable nylon crotch strap that runs from the child's back to the child's front under the swing seat and up between the child's legs, the free end of said crotch strap has a loop that the said waist belt buckle passes through to connect the said crotch strap to said waist belt to form a “T” shape seatbelt. Coupling of said free end of said crotch strap to said waist belt is by slidable relationship allowing ease of connecting and disconnecting said waist belt and said crotch belt. Means for adjusting the crotch belt is an adjustable sliding clip located at the rear of the back pad;

a right adjustable padded shoulder strap having a top non-adjustable portion and a bottom adjustable portion, said top shoulder strap connected to said back pad such that when the portable swing adaptor is placed on the child, said shoulder pad strap runs from behind the child and over a right shoulder where the right side of said waist belt threads through it. The bottom of said right adjustable padded shoulder strap is connected to the bottom of said back pad;

a left adjustable padded shoulder strap having a top non-adjustable portion and a bottom adjustable portion, said top shoulder strap connected to said back pad such that when the portable swing adaptor is placed on the child, said shoulder pad strap runs from behind the child and over a left shoulder where the left side of said waist belt threads through it. The bottom of said left adjustable padded shoulder strap is connected to the bottom of said back pad;

the adjustable padded shoulder straps are used in conjunction with the waist/crotch combination belt, to form the fivepoint harness that prevents children from falling off the swing in a forward or backward direction;

The portable swing adaptor, wherein said connecting strap, said waist belt, said crotch strap, adjustable portion of said right padded shoulder strap, adjustable portion of said left padded shoulder strap, are made of nylon straps. Said back pad, non-adjustable portion of said right padded shoulder strap, non-adjustable portion of said left padded shoulder strap, are made of densified foam batting covered with a cotton broadcloth fabric. All parts of the portable swing adaptor are safe to machine wash and the entire device can be brought to the park in a standard size diaper bag.